After discussing a few things with Tanasha I started thinking about what the Unified Magick Theory for the GG would be. In every RPing system they have a theory about why magic work, rarely is it a matter of "Well it just does..." and its usually some sort of natural force. Well I know a few things that are natural forces... things like gravity, thermodynamics, and physics in general. Although are just as powerful and mysterious they have just as much scientific legitimacy as any other force int he universe.
Why then is Magic any exception?
Well perhaps the thought that 'it' can do anything, but those familiar with several magic system are aware there are limits they are just obscured by what seem the accomplishments of impossible things. Like denying the laws of physics, thermodynamics, and other such laws that I mentioned as being on par with magic. Perhaps though we arent looking far enough ont he subject or as some characters feel religiously connected to their magic dont want to look far enough.
Why would it be good for the G.G. to accept a Unified Magick Theory?
1) It would allow for the explanation, and understand of how technology works/interferes with magic.
2) It would allow the scientific study, and possible implementation of physical devices generating the equivalent magical effects.
3) Damage done can be measured on a physical scale that has a baseline and maximum, compared to the DBZ style infinite control of endless amounts of energy or energy multiplication in violation of the laws of thermodynamics.
4) it would allow for the generation of null magic, and other fields for groups that dont believe/accept magic in their RPs. Yet still want to eb involved with a alrger group that does beleive in magic.
It is known that the transfer of Quantum states between distant atoms referred to as the misnomer 'teleportation' in many scientific studies is not only possible its being done in labs in the U.S. and Austria on an almost monthly occurrence. Why then is doing something like transferring an energy state from one atom to another an impossible task for a natural force?
It isnt... and in the theory Im about to present I'll do my best to cover all the bases.
The theory of Planar Etheric Flux or PEF is based around how the synaptic signals of the human nervous system (which in this theory is essentially just a big antennae) can modify (read nudge) the residual energy state of surrounding air which is then imparted as a negative charge on aetheric particles, and if energy can be imparted one way obviously it can be transferred back to areas of lower potential energy and create effects by lowering or increasing the energy state of an object or area.
Now that is alot in a little chunk but lets break it down. The theory deals with the thought that the separate Planes of Reality are separated by an insulating void filled with what is generally called Aether or ether. Aether is a particle/wave similar to a photon in that it is easily excitable and naturally is imparted with energy.
When a magic user casts magic they focus their body to draw in energy (see reference to the nervous system as a antennae) which has a energetic effect on the surrounding environment (this part is a bit hazy either through direct correlation of current or converted BTU's of body heat) in any case in order to keep balance this minor amount of energy is siphoned off by the Aether which then does naturally what energy does... it heads to an area of lower potential energy. This area of lowered potential energy is the area of key energy or what the body used to begin the cycle. Therefore with concentration a magic user can focus where energy is added or conversely he could dump the energy elsewhere lowering the potential energy of an area more depending on the effect they intend to create.
Therefore a spell is simply a nervous system response to mental stimulus.
What does this mean for tech people?
Well in areas of alot of electrical or magnetic energy Magick users will feel drained and possibly dizzy up to a certain point when they will be able to control the aethers siphoning directly which would mean they area powerful magic user.
Technology designed to assist in the process can be used to amplify magical effects, and vice versa.
Note 1: This was written late at night by a new father with little sleep so obviously loopholes still need to be addressed.
Note 2: my 5 week old Donny has been laying against my chest while writing this so for one handed typing its not bad I will try and fix my mistakes but probably not till tomorrow
Addendum:
Tanasha
1: Immunities:
Ether is inherent to all matter in this universe. However, matter from outside this universe may or may not have this energy, or even be capable of having it.
This brings up magic immune people: As far as magic is concerned, their existance is defined by thier lack of existance.
For example, when Tanasha came to Gaia, it was from another universe which had no magic - Therefore, she was immune to magic, good or bad. Through natural courses, atoms in her body have been replaced over time, resulting in her no longer being completely magic immune, and only being partially magic resistant. Her biology evolved in a world without magic, and as such she will never be able to use magic. However, she is still capable of using non-magic powers and abilities. (See next suggestion)
Geneticly immune people are people who were born with a natural immunity to magic in a world with magic. They are like a superconductor agaisnt a magnet, whenever somebody attempts to preform magic on them, it simply bounces off and/or fizzles out.
2: Non-magic powers:
If magic is the mind manipulating the ether, then non-magic powers is the mind manipulating the non-ether. While most powers will be magic in nature, not all are.
For example, manipulating your brainwaves to interfere with another's mind in specific ways could be done without involving ether. this establishes psionics as a powerset usable by magic immune people. However, somebody born with the ability to use the ether would have a far easier time of it that way, and - being wired specifically for magic - would not find non-magic psionics natural.
Some other power groups could include ESP, which is primarily extrapolating data from multiple sources, including surface thoughts of others. Or powers involving electronics, which allows for machine empathy, manipulation, etc...
Again, these would not be natural to people who are capable of magic, and are very limited in scope.
Ether is inherent to all matter in this universe. However, matter from outside this universe may or may not have this energy, or even be capable of having it.
This brings up magic immune people: As far as magic is concerned, their existance is defined by thier lack of existance.
For example, when Tanasha came to Gaia, it was from another universe which had no magic - Therefore, she was immune to magic, good or bad. Through natural courses, atoms in her body have been replaced over time, resulting in her no longer being completely magic immune, and only being partially magic resistant. Her biology evolved in a world without magic, and as such she will never be able to use magic. However, she is still capable of using non-magic powers and abilities. (See next suggestion)
Geneticly immune people are people who were born with a natural immunity to magic in a world with magic. They are like a superconductor agaisnt a magnet, whenever somebody attempts to preform magic on them, it simply bounces off and/or fizzles out.
2: Non-magic powers:
If magic is the mind manipulating the ether, then non-magic powers is the mind manipulating the non-ether. While most powers will be magic in nature, not all are.
For example, manipulating your brainwaves to interfere with another's mind in specific ways could be done without involving ether. this establishes psionics as a powerset usable by magic immune people. However, somebody born with the ability to use the ether would have a far easier time of it that way, and - being wired specifically for magic - would not find non-magic psionics natural.
Some other power groups could include ESP, which is primarily extrapolating data from multiple sources, including surface thoughts of others. Or powers involving electronics, which allows for machine empathy, manipulation, etc...
Again, these would not be natural to people who are capable of magic, and are very limited in scope.
Jason A. Delacroix
some clarifications.
Mana does not equal aether, as aether is merely the transportation mode between areas of high and low potential energy. However the key energy (the source and eventual end of the cycle) is basically what mana is often descirbed as, considering its an actual source of residual energy exsiting everywhere.
Something thats alittle different in this theory is that in practice it would be impossible to stop the flow of energy without destroying everything around it... that includes the caster and target, you would need almost complete void which in that it would kill the caster as well would altogether be pointless.
This is not to say that you cannot prevent the casting of magic, by saturating the area with key energy and keeping it that way the caster could draw in as much energy as they liked from a key area but the siphoned energy would just be disipated into the aether or go somewere completely uncontrolled as there would be no naturual palce for ti to fit.
likewise pulseing a specific frequency (as in that the zenith would be the top of the comfortable energetic scale, and the bottom would be low enought hat additional energy would only cause the average energy to rise slightly if at all) of key energy would cause an etheric wave that could make the casting of magick highly erratic or altogether dangerous as the key area would be in motion... imagine a fireball shaking itself apart.
Mana does not equal aether, as aether is merely the transportation mode between areas of high and low potential energy. However the key energy (the source and eventual end of the cycle) is basically what mana is often descirbed as, considering its an actual source of residual energy exsiting everywhere.
Something thats alittle different in this theory is that in practice it would be impossible to stop the flow of energy without destroying everything around it... that includes the caster and target, you would need almost complete void which in that it would kill the caster as well would altogether be pointless.
This is not to say that you cannot prevent the casting of magic, by saturating the area with key energy and keeping it that way the caster could draw in as much energy as they liked from a key area but the siphoned energy would just be disipated into the aether or go somewere completely uncontrolled as there would be no naturual palce for ti to fit.
likewise pulseing a specific frequency (as in that the zenith would be the top of the comfortable energetic scale, and the bottom would be low enought hat additional energy would only cause the average energy to rise slightly if at all) of key energy would cause an etheric wave that could make the casting of magick highly erratic or altogether dangerous as the key area would be in motion... imagine a fireball shaking itself apart.
Jason A. Delacroix
Imagine if you will someone (from Plane y) directing their target (or key source) at another plane instead of an area or object. The cycle is the same, simply that whats tramsmitted is a physical form made up entirely of collected key energy. This means that they (or more accurately the transmission of themselves) can achieve any traditional effect of magic within thier own form. In other wotrds they could for example, vanish, or teleport, or consume their body in flame or any other numerous elemental type effects, But just as traditioanl magic is limited by the knowledge of effects so too are they... they just just happen to have a virtual form with which to use as their source. They have in a sense created a cycle within a cycle much like a mobeous (sp?) strip two paralelel cyles operating independantly but useing the same source.
Now for a traditional mage to achieve such an effect (solidified form that has its own key energy) it would require massive amounts of energy and most likely fry their spinal column long before they achieved such an effect, though lesser variations have been shown in the past (duplicate forms, dopplegangers and ofcourse astral projection) but all of thses fall short of the true thing. What then is the explination for such high amounts of energy? honestly I dont know... Im composing this alte at ngiht with little sleep and even less coherence but I can always come up with a theory.
Perhaps the individual planes do not operate on an even base scale of energy, perhaps what is considered 1 volt here is not equal to 1 plane y volt. In that case the transmission of such a signal is not that hard to consider if Plane Y is at a higher energy state and therefore correspondingly such a being would be able to easily accomplish such a task considering what is our residual could be there nuclear reactor and vice versa.
This could cover alot of such things but what needs to be added into the equation is distance. how much of the signal is lost over the distance between planes, and correspondingly how much is lost while passing through a plane itself.
So in theory there could be an amazingly powerful plane of beings but that are so distant (to our plane) that a signal of any apprecable effect (to their scale) could only happen under rare and ideal circumstances.
Likewise there would obviously be planes with lower states that could in theory use the same effect to achieve an almost parasitic effect.
Let us use ghosts as an example.
several beleived criteria used by ghosts hunters to register paranormal activity include:
*a general decrease in room tempeture (either dramatic or gradual)
* and a source of Electromagnetic interferance.
Both of those seem to go nicely with the idea of useing a reverse cycle of PEF to actually harvest Key energy, as loss of energy in atmosphere is noticed as a decrease in tempeture as the molecules are nto generating as much friction between themselves, and correspondlingly the transmission impulse should register as a noticeable EM Signal.
why they would need such energy im not entirely sure but if they are infasct the dead perhaps its the replacement to eating the thought that inorder to continue to sustain themselves they must consume something.
again this is all just theory and is made mroe so for the assitance of RP than any true concept of origin.
Now for a traditional mage to achieve such an effect (solidified form that has its own key energy) it would require massive amounts of energy and most likely fry their spinal column long before they achieved such an effect, though lesser variations have been shown in the past (duplicate forms, dopplegangers and ofcourse astral projection) but all of thses fall short of the true thing. What then is the explination for such high amounts of energy? honestly I dont know... Im composing this alte at ngiht with little sleep and even less coherence but I can always come up with a theory.
Perhaps the individual planes do not operate on an even base scale of energy, perhaps what is considered 1 volt here is not equal to 1 plane y volt. In that case the transmission of such a signal is not that hard to consider if Plane Y is at a higher energy state and therefore correspondingly such a being would be able to easily accomplish such a task considering what is our residual could be there nuclear reactor and vice versa.
This could cover alot of such things but what needs to be added into the equation is distance. how much of the signal is lost over the distance between planes, and correspondingly how much is lost while passing through a plane itself.
So in theory there could be an amazingly powerful plane of beings but that are so distant (to our plane) that a signal of any apprecable effect (to their scale) could only happen under rare and ideal circumstances.
Likewise there would obviously be planes with lower states that could in theory use the same effect to achieve an almost parasitic effect.
Let us use ghosts as an example.
several beleived criteria used by ghosts hunters to register paranormal activity include:
*a general decrease in room tempeture (either dramatic or gradual)
* and a source of Electromagnetic interferance.
Both of those seem to go nicely with the idea of useing a reverse cycle of PEF to actually harvest Key energy, as loss of energy in atmosphere is noticed as a decrease in tempeture as the molecules are nto generating as much friction between themselves, and correspondlingly the transmission impulse should register as a noticeable EM Signal.
why they would need such energy im not entirely sure but if they are infasct the dead perhaps its the replacement to eating the thought that inorder to continue to sustain themselves they must consume something.
again this is all just theory and is made mroe so for the assitance of RP than any true concept of origin.
Tanasha also
For magic and non-magical powers, there are going to have to be some rules...
For example, since magic and non-magical powers are both ultra-high brain functions, your capability in one is at best inversely proportional to your capability in the other.
In other words:
If you can cast strong magic, you have no non-magical powers.
If you can cast magic and have non-magical powers, then they are both weak.
If you are incapable of magic, you can have strong non-magical powers.
If you are originally from a world without magic, you are not capable of magic, and you have the option of having a magic resistance/immunity. You have the option of both fading over time, but you will never be capable of strong magical powers. Think "Vestigial tail".
Now, to keep people from trying to have a non-magic power fireball spell:
Magical powers have a very wide scope, you can do many things with them, and do so at will. Magic can work at range, with the distance restricted only by type of spell and the level of ability of the caster. All targeted spells are either LOS or touch except for teleport, which only requires extreme familiarity with the target area (It would help if the area was scryable too, just so you don't appear inside a person, desk, or etc... which took that spot since you were last there.)
Non-magical powers are far more restricted, most powers are passive abilities, most only affect either the user or something that the user is touching, some require a specific mental state. Non-magic powers also tend to be far weaker than magical powers - The strongest currently known non-magic power, "Shadow Mech", requires a very specific state of mind, usually requires years of research, and has resulted in both insanity and an alignment shift to "Evil" every time it's been used.
For example, since magic and non-magical powers are both ultra-high brain functions, your capability in one is at best inversely proportional to your capability in the other.
In other words:
If you can cast strong magic, you have no non-magical powers.
If you can cast magic and have non-magical powers, then they are both weak.
If you are incapable of magic, you can have strong non-magical powers.
If you are originally from a world without magic, you are not capable of magic, and you have the option of having a magic resistance/immunity. You have the option of both fading over time, but you will never be capable of strong magical powers. Think "Vestigial tail".
Now, to keep people from trying to have a non-magic power fireball spell:
Magical powers have a very wide scope, you can do many things with them, and do so at will. Magic can work at range, with the distance restricted only by type of spell and the level of ability of the caster. All targeted spells are either LOS or touch except for teleport, which only requires extreme familiarity with the target area (It would help if the area was scryable too, just so you don't appear inside a person, desk, or etc... which took that spot since you were last there.)
Non-magical powers are far more restricted, most powers are passive abilities, most only affect either the user or something that the user is touching, some require a specific mental state. Non-magic powers also tend to be far weaker than magical powers - The strongest currently known non-magic power, "Shadow Mech", requires a very specific state of mind, usually requires years of research, and has resulted in both insanity and an alignment shift to "Evil" every time it's been used.
comments welcome...
